An undated but old video of Narendra Modi appearing to say soldiers lay down their lives in the battlefield because they receive a salary, has been cropped and revived with misleading context in the backdrop of the recent dispute over territory between India-China in Ladakh.
The video is being shared at a time when the India-China clash at Galwan valley, Eastern Ladakh on June 15 and June16 resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers including a commanding officer. Beijing has remained mum on the number of casualties it has suffered.
Escalating tension between the two countries at the Line of Actual Control has also triggered a wave of misinformation online, around the skirmish.
Also read 20 Indian Soldiers Killed In India-China Clash In Galwan Valley
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The 12-second-long viral clip shows Modi speaking from a dais. Speaking in Hindi, the PM says, 'Look friends, a soldier in the army goes to the battlefield to die. Because he receives a salary'.
(Hindi: देखिये मित्रों सेना में जो जवान होता है ये युद्ध की भूमि में मरने के लिए जाता है...इसलिए कि इसे तनख्वाह मिलती है |)
The post, shared with a Hindi caption 'A soldier goes to the battlefield to die because he is paid a salary for that...Narendra Modi', can be viewed below.
(Hindi: युद्ध की भूमि में जवान मरने के लिए जाता है, इसलिए की उसको "तनख्वाह" मिलती है..नरेन्द्र मोदीजी)
Fact Check
BOOM ran a reverse image search on one of the screenshots of the viral clip and found a longer version uploaded on YouTube on March 15, 2017 under the headline 'Modi speech related to tiranga yatra'.
This 6.09 minute long video opens with the same statement by Modi that has been used in the viral clip. However, the following statement brings in more context into the incomplete statement that has been shared on social media
In his opening lines, the PM, speaking in Hindi, says 'Look friends, a soldier in the army goes to the battlefield to die. Why, because he is paid? He doesn't go to die in the battlefield because he is paid for it...he is ready to die because he loves his motherland. If you love something in your life, here I'd like to give you an example...'.
Hereafter, Modi goes on speaking about the Tiranga Yatra that had participated in 1992 wherein he reportedly hoisted the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
(Hindi: देखिये मित्रों सेना में जो जवान होता है ये युद्ध की भूमि में मरने के लिए जाता है...इसलिए की उसको तनख्वाह मिलती है ? उसको तनख्वाह मिलती है इसलिए वो सेना का जवान युद्ध की भूमि में मरने के लिए तैयार नहीं होता है...वो मरने के लिए इसलिए तैयार होता है इस मिट्टी को वो प्यार करता है...अगर आप अपने जीवन में किसी चीज़ को प्यार करो ... मैं आपको एक उद्धारण देना चाहता हूँ...)
BOOM found another clipping of the same speech that was uploaded on Twitter in 2012.
While the video does not include the part which is now viral on social media, it has been clipped from the same video. The other clipping that was uploaded on YouTube in 2012 suggests that the video is from a time before Modi became the prime minister.
BOOM could not independently verify the occasion and timeline of the event where the speech was delivered.
PM's statement on clash at Galwan Valley, Ladakh
The PM on June 19, 2020 addressed an all-party meet where he spoke about the India-China dispute. "Neither have they intruded into our border, nor has any post been taken over by them (China). Twenty of our jawans were martyred, but those who dared Bharat Mata, they were taught a lesson," the PM said, reported Hindustan Times.